Transmission



Aug. 13, 1935. T. l.. FAwlcK 2,011,401

TRANSMISSION Filed Novf, A1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 13, 193s. T. L. FAWICK 2,011,401

TRANSMISSION Filed Nov. 5, 1932 @mw L fww/ 5j ma.. +mwwx 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 T. L. FAWICK TRANSMISSION Aug. 13, 1935.

Filed Nov; 5, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 E l l:

f l1 A Q52 6 W59 X5 J162 JQ wf Aug. 13, 1.935a l T, L, FAWIOK 2,011,401

TRANSMISSION Filed Nov. 5, 1932 4 shets-sheet 4 .n Z .l I la/ Patented ug. 13, 1935 UNITED STATES TRANSMISSION Thomas L. Fawck, Akron, Ohio, assigner to Brown-Lips Gear Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of New York Application November 5, 1932, Serial No. 641,325

20 Claims.

My invention relates to transmissions for motor vehicles.

The invention is applicable to automobiles, busses, trucks, tractors and the like, and its object is to provide a short compact transmission which is light and inexpensive to manufacture, parts of small diameter and light weight being employed throughout; a transmission of this sort which is easy to operate and which has freewheeling and a positive drive without free-Wheeling in each of the forward speeds; a transmission of this sort having means for rendering the freewheeling device inoperative in reverse; and a free-wheeling transmission without a countershaft or countershaft gears and in which no idle gears continue to be driven when the drive is direct. i

'Ihe present invention may be characterized as an improvement upon the transmission illustrat ed and described in my prior Patent No. 1,733,786,

patented October 29, 1929. It provides for freewheeling and for a positive drive without freewheeling in each of the forward speeds of a transmission of that type and it provides means for rendering the free-wheeling device inoperative in reverse.

The short compact character of the presentA glide or coast whenever the component of the.

force ofgravity in the direction of the road surface on a down-grade, or the force due to momentum of the car makes4 it travel at a higher speed than that corresponding to engine speed, At the same time the positive drive in each forl ward speed enables descending grades or otherwise running in each forward speed without freewheeling, thereby enabling use of the engine for braking purposes.

By eliminating the countershaft and countershaft gears'and by not driving any idle gears when the drive is direct, noise and power losses are minimized.

The present invention is particularly adapted for use in a transmission having two speeds forward and reverse. A transmission of this type is w axle.

especially suited for use with a two-speed rear It is to be understood, however, that the features of this invention may appear in other types of transmissions and that use with axles other than those of the two-speed type is contemplated within the scope of this invention.

Now, in order to acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner of constructing and using a device embodying my invention, I shall describea specific embodiment of the same in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section through a transmission embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view through the internal ring gear taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l and showing the idler gears in end elevation;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure l;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentarylongitudinal section through the driven member at the rear end of the transmission and showing in detail and, more or less, diagrammatically one form of means for obtaining' a positive ratio drive without free-wheeling;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary and, more or less, diagrammatic section showing the position of the internal ring gear when vthe transmission is in direct drive forward with the free-wheeling device`in operation;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the position of the internal ring gear when the transmission is in direct drive forward with the free-wheeling device out of operation;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figures 6 and '7 and showing the position of the internal ring gear when the transmission is in reverse;

Figure 9 is a section taken on the line 9 9 of Figure 1;

Figure 10 is a detail sectional view taken on the line lll-I0 of Figure 5;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the tapered rearward ends of the intermediate internal clutch teeth on the ring gear; and

Figure 12 is a perspective view-0f the shifter ring for the clutch pins for low speed forward without free-Wheeling.

Referring now to the drawings, the housing of the transmission is made up in two sections; the bell housing 5, which may be bolted 4to the fly wheel and clutch housing of the driving motor,

and the rearward housing member 6. These housing sections 5 and 6 have companion iianges piloted on each other at 1 to secure registration and are bolted together at 8.

The shaft 9 is herein termed the driving shaft and this shaft is preferably connected to the clutch of the driving engine. The next element in the line of -drive from the driving shaft 9 to the driven shaft, which may be a propeller shaft or even a rear axle shaft, is the cage member ID. The next element in the line of drive is the driven shaft or shaft section II. The shaft section II is, with respect to the driving shaft 9, a driven shaft and, with respect to the propeller shaft or rear axle shaft, it is a driving shaft section. All of these elements in the line of drive are alined with each other and piloted on or in each other so as to provide radial support for the entire line of drive throughout. The support which this line of drive secures from the housing is provided in two simple andrelatively smallbear-l ings, namely, the front bearing I2 and the rear bearing I3. These bearings are preferably ball bearings so that they may take whatever endwisethrust might result from operation of the device.

To support these two bearings I2 and I3, the housingA 5, 6 has walls or webs I4 and I5. All of the wearing parts are contained between the walls or webs I4 and I5, and the space between these walls or webs comprises a lubricant container open endwise between these Walls.

The driving shaft 9 has a pinion I8 formed on the rear end thereof and this pinion is embraced by the cage l0. The cage I0 is formed in two parts, the front part comprising a sleeve I9 fitting upon the cylindrical part of. the shaft 9 adjacent the pinion I8 and having a suitable bearing thereon. 'I'his sleeve I9 is splined externally as indicated at 20 to receive the hub 2| ofthe clutch disc 22, the periphery of which is provided with gear teeth 23 serving as clutch dogs to cooperate with the external gear segment 24 mounted on the shifter rod 25 and serving as a clutch member or detent. The shifter rod 25 is not subjected to torque as the form of detent 24 eliminates this.

The hub of the clutch disc 22 is held in place by a lock nut 26 which also binds the inner race of the bearing I2 in place upon the sleeve I9 of the cage I0. The other part of the cage I6 comprises a member 28 having an axially projecting bearing pin 29k which is piloted axially in the driven shaft section II. This pin 29 has bearing support in the bearing I3.

'I'he two halves ofthe cage I8 are suitably fastened together by screws 30 preferably at three points between the idler gears 32, these idler gears 32 being preferably equally lspaced and three in number, and the forward part of the cage I0 is scalloped, as shown in Figure 3, to accommodate said idler gears. These idler gears 32 are mounted on bearing pins 33 seated at their forward ends in the forward cage member and at their rearward ends in the rearward cage member. The idlers 32 are arranged at 120 about the pinion I8 and are always in "mesh with this pinion. Thus at least three full teeth are always vin mesh giving exceptional strength.

Upon the outside of and in mesh with the three idler pinions 21 there is an internal ring or spool gear 34, the internal teeth on this ring gear being wide enough axially to permit this gear to be shifted axially to perform certain clutch operations, as will be explained later, without losing mesh with the idlers 32. The ring'gear 34 is provided with a shifter groove 35 in which rests a s hifter fork 36, this shifter fork having a hub pinned upon the shifter rod 25 and the hub of the shifter fork having a socket 31 to receive the end of a shift lever, as is well understood by those skilled in the art.

The internal ring gear 34 has a rearward cylindrical extension 40, the rear end of which has a series of clutch teeth 4I, these teeth 4I being disposed annularly about the interior of the rear end of the extension 48, and cooperating lwhen the transmission is in high speed forward Without free-wheeling with external clutch teeth 42 in the periphery of the clutch disc 43 formed integral with and extending radially from the driven member I I. Forwardly of the clutch teeth 4 I, the extension 4I! -has a second series of internal clutch teeth 44 which cooperate when the transmission is in high speed forward without free-wheeling as well as when the transmission is in high speed forward with free-wheeling with a series of external clutch teeth 45 on the periphery of the rearward member 28 of the cage I6. The extension 40 also has a series of external clutch teeth 46 in radial alinement with the teeth 44, the external teeth 46 cooperating when the transmission is in low speed forward with free-wheeling with a series ofinternal clutch teeth 41 on a lock yoke 48, which yoke 48 is adapted to lock the ring gear 34 against rotation.

The lock yoke 68 is supported to slide axially within the housing on a pair-of diametrically opposite parallel rods 49 disposed in a horizontal plane through the axis of the driving member 9 and externally of the opposite sid-es of the externally toothed portion of the extension 40. The opposite ends of the lock yoke 48 are provided with suitable sockets 56 to receive the generally ball-like ends 5I of a lock yoke shifter fork 52 (Figure 2*). The shifter fork 52 has a hub 53 pinned upon a shifter rod 54 and the hub 53 has a suitable socket 55 to receive the end of a shift lever as is well understood by those skilled in the art. Such a lever is shown, more or less diagrammatically, in Figure 1 at 56, and its lower end is swingable laterally of the housing of the transmission to be engaged selectively with the socket 31 or the socket 55, and generally longitudinally to shift selectively the rod 25 or the rod 54 axially, as desired.

As shown in Figure 4, the inner periphery of the rearward end of the cage member 26 has a plurality of tapering pockets 58, each pocket being of increasing radial depth in a direction corresponding with the direction oi.' free rotative movement of the member II with respect to the member 28. Disposed in the pockets 58 are clutch rollers 59 which are free to roll endwise of the pockets.

The rollers-58 are rotatable upon pins 60 and are tied together by securing the opposite ends of these pins in annular end rings 6I and 62, as shown. The inner marginal edge of the ring member' 6I engages in the groove formed by reducing the forward end of the member I I and is free to turn between the members II` and 28, at the saine time being held against appreciable endwise movement with respect to these members.

The ring member 62 is free to turn between the ure 11) and the teeth 63 on the ring member 62 are correspondingly tapered in a forward direction so that, as the ring gear 34 is shifted rearwardly to engage the teeth 44 with the teeth 42 for reverse, the ring member 62 and the rollers 68 and ring member 6I joined together and constituting a unitary' assembly, will be turned about its axis sufficiently to release the clutch rollers 68 from clutching engagement with the surfaces 58' and 58 (Figure 4) thereby rendering the free-wheeling device inoperative in reverse. With the teeth 44 in engagement with the teeth 42 the forward ends of the teeth 44 may continue inQengagement with the tee'th 63 to hold the free-wheeling device 'out of operation until the transmissionis shifted out of reverse. The parts are preferably correlber 1I is threaded to the sleeve 12 on the wall or web I5, asshown, and an oil-tight seal 13 seals the annular space between the inner periphery of the ring member1| and the outer periphery of the hub of the flange 68.

The rearward extension of the ring gear 34 has openings 15 for free passage of the lubricant into the ring gear 34 and to the wearing parts. A drain plug is provided at 16.

The operation of the device thus far described is as follows:

With the parts in the positions shown, the ring 34 is clutched to and held against rotation by engagement of the teeth 46 with the teeth 41 of the lock yoke 48, with the result that rotation of the driving member 9 rotates the rearward cage, part 28 at reduced speed through the pinions 32 and pins 33. This low speed forward drive is, in turn, transmitted to the driven member Il through the clutch rollers 60 and from the driven member II the drive is transmitted'tov the propeller shaft or other member through universal connection of the driving flange 68 therewith. If the component of the force of gravity in a direction parallel to the road surface on a down` grade or force due to the momentum of the car tends to make it travel at a higher speed than that corresponding to the engine speed, the arrangement of the clutch rollers 60 between the members Il and 28 will permit the member II to over-run the member 28. When the shifter rod 54 and lock yoke shifter fork 52 are shifted rearwardly to position the lock yoke 48, as shown in dotted lines in Figure l, the teeth 41 are disengaged from the teeth .46 and then, since themem 4 ber 34 is free, the drive is interrupted.

4In order to vobtain high speed or direct drive with free-wheeling, the lower end of the shift lever 56 is swung laterally-into engagement with the socket 31, and then by shifting the rod 25 the ring gear is shifted to a position whereV the teeth 44 are engaged with the teeth 45 but without engaging the teeth 4I with the teeth 42. The ring gear 34 is then clutched to the rearward cage member 28, as shown in Figure 6, andthe ring gear 34, cage member 28, gears 32 and pinion i8 are locked together for direct or one-to-one ratio drive from the shaft 8 to the member 28. This 'the teeth 4| with the teeth 42.

member II through the clutch rollers 60 from which member vI I the drive maybe transmitted as before. With the parts in this position, the arrangement o f clutch rollers 68 between the members II and 28 permits the member II to overrun the member 28 when the movement of the vehicle exceeds the speed of the engine with the transmission in high..

Where it is desired to render the free wheeling device inoperative 'with the4 transmission in direct, the vring 34 is shifted forwardly further to engage The teeth 44 on thering gear are wide enough to permit the ring gear to be shifted forwardly a suicient distance to engage the teeth 4I with the teeth 42 without disengaging the teeth 44 from the teeth 45. As shown in Figure 7, the members 28 and II are now positively connected together, and the ring` gear 34 being clutched to the cage member 28 a positive direct drive without free-wheeling is provided from the driving shaft 9 to the driven shaft section I I.

As already explained, reverse drive is obtainedv by shifting the ring gear 34 rearwardly to engage the vteeth 44 with the teeth 42, as shown in Figure 8. And as the ring gear is shifted to this position, the engagement of the tapered ends 64 of the teeth 44 with the tapered ends of the teeth 63 turn or ,rotate the roller and ring assembly 60, 6I

and 62, suiciently to position and to hold the rollers 60 out of position for clutching action,

whereby free-wheeling is not only rendered inoperative in reverse drive through the transmission,

but is rendered inoperative by the shifting movement which places the transmission in reverse.

In order to provide for low speed forward without free-wheeling, I provide the forward end of the member II with three longitudinal openings 8l), preferably equally spaced about the axis of the driven member II, and opening endwise through and from the opposite ends of the enlarged forward end of the member II. The adjacent face of the cage member 23 has three similarly spaced sockets 8l and pins 82 are slidable axially in the openings to be brought forwardly for'engagement in the sockets 8l to connect the members 28 and Il positively for low in which engage pins 81" at the lower ends of the arms of a forkedfshifter lever 88 pvotedat 89. -The lever 88 is of bell-crank form and connected to the free end of its yopposite arm is an actuating connection which may-be in the form of a Bowden wire 98 provided at its outer end with a button or finger piece 9i. -The button or finger piece 9i may be located on the steering wheel or otherwise arranged in position conveniently accessible to the driver, and by manipulating it the pins 82 are thrust forwardly into position toengage in the sockets 8| to` provide low speed forward without free-wheeling, or rearwardly to position clear of the member 28 for high and low speeds forward with free wheeling.

The button 8l has a proje 8d to the Bowden wire element 98 and notched @non es pivted at the member 28 when it drives the member in low speed forward, these inclined"`ways assuring engagement of the pins 82 in the .sockets 8| as,they. are projected forwardly from'the forward end of the member A coiled spring y at 1|0 (Figures 1 and 5) cooperates vwith the collar 86 to urge yieldingly the pins 82 toward forward projected position in engagement with sockets 8|.

In order to obtain low speed forward without free-Wheeling the button 9| is vreleased and moved from'its dotted line position to its full line position (Figure 5) thrusting the pins 82 forwardly into engagement with the sockets 8|. The driving member 9 then rotates the cage part 28 at reduced speed through the pinions.

32 and pins 33,A the ring gear 34 being held against rotation by the lock yoke at this time. -This low speed forward drive is, in turn, transmitted from the member 28 to the member through the clutch pins 82 without free-wheeling,`and from the driven member the drive is transmitted to the propeller shaft or other member, as before.

In the illustrated embodiment, the propeller shaft 98 is coupled to the two speed axle, 1ndicated diagrammatically at 99 in Figure 1.

When -the ring gear 34 is shifted forwardly to engage teeth 44 with teeth 45 without engaging teeth 4| with teeth 42 to provide high speed forward, free-wheeling in this speed is obtained by disengaging the pins 82 from the sockets 8|. Although I have referred to obtaining high speed forward Without free-wheeling by positioning the ring gear 34, as shown in Figure 7, it is to be understood that the clutch pins 82 and sockets 8| may be used in high speed forward without free-wheeling. In that case,

the ring gear 34 is positioned as shown in Figure 6 and the clutch pins 82 are projected into engagement with the sockets 8| to connect directly and positively the members 28 and Il. Of course, where the pins 82 are used in high speed forward without free-wheeling, as well as in low speed forward without free-wheeling, the teeth \4| on the ring gear 34 may be omitted.

As the shifter rod 25 is moved rearwardly to engage the teeth 44 with the teeth 42 for reverse, the holding dog 24 is carried with the rod 25 and engages the teeth 23 on the clutch disc 22, holding the cage stationary and the drive then proceeds from the pinion I8 through the idlers 32 which rotate on the stationary pins 33 driving the ring gear 34 and the driven member in reverse direction.

It will be understoodv that the shifting of the rods 25 and 54 is preferably accompanied by disengagement of the driving clutch as isthe case `ratio produced by the turning movement imparted to the member 28 by the planetarymovement produced in the pins 33 by the driving engagement of the pinion I8 with the idlers 32 and the meshing of these idlers with the ring gear 34 which is held stationary at that time.v The reverse drive is the ratio produced by the rotation of the idlers 32 and the rotation imparted to the ring gear 34 thereby with the pins 33 held against turning about the axis of the driving member 9. In high speed forward, with and without free wheeling, the drive is direct or in one-to-one ratio.

As already explained, it will be seen that the axially shiftable clutch pins 82 may be used not only for providing a positive connection between the members 28 and in low speed forward, but may be Vused also to provide a positive connection between the members 28 and in high speed or direct drive forward.- Therefore, the teeth 4| and the position of the ring gear 34 in which these teeth 4| are engaged with the teeth 42, with the teeth 44 in engagement with the teeth 45, may be omitted. These two positive connecting arrangements may be employed, however, in the same transmission, one for providing a positive con-,y

nection in high speed forward and the other for providing a positive connection in low speed forward, and both are shown in that relation to impart a clear understanding ofthe illustrated embodiment of the invention.

I claim:

1. In combination, a driving member having a pinion, a driven member,f an intermediate member, idlers carried by the intermediate member, a ring gear embracing the idlers, means for holding the ring gear stationary in one position and to said intermediate member in a second position, free-wheeling means between said intermediate memberY and said driven member, and means for holding said ring gear to both said intermediate member and said driven member for direct drive without free-wheeling in a third position of said ring gear.

2. In combination, a driving member having a pinion, a driven member, an intermediate member, idlers carried by the intermediate member, a ring gear embracing the idlers, means for holding the ring gear stationary in one position and to said intermediate member in another position, free-wheeling means between said intermediate member and said driven member, and meansbn said ring gear for positively connecting said intermediate member and said driven member to drive without free-wheeling with said ring gear held to said intermediate member. e,

3. In combination, a driving member having a pinion, a driven member, an intermediate member, idlers carried by the intermediate member, a shiftable ring gear embracing the idlers, means for holding the ring` gear stationary in one position and to said intermediate member in another position, free-wheeling means between said intermediate member and said driven member, means for positively connecting said intermediate member and said driven member to drive without freewheeling with said ring gear in stationary position and in position held to said intermediate member, said means including a peripherally toothed clutch disc on the driven member and clutch teeth shiftable with the ring gear.

4. In combination, a driving member having a pinion, a driven member, an intermediate member, idlers carried by the intermediate member, a ring gear embracing the idlers, means for holding the ring gear stationary in one position and to said intermediate member in another position,

' free-wheeling means between said intermediate member'and said driven member, teeth on the intermediate member, teeth on the driven member, and longitudinally spaced sets of teeth on the ring gear, the forward set being engageable with the teeth on the intermediate member without engaging the other set with the teeth on the driven member and the other set of teeth on the ring gear being engageable with the teeth on the driven member by further forward movement cf the ring gear and without disengaging the forward setof teeth on the ring gear from the teeth on the intermediate member.

5. In combination, a driving member having a pinion, a driven member, an intermediate member, idlers vcarried by said intermediate member, a ring gear embracing the idlers, means for holding the ring gear stationary in one position and to said intermediate member in another position, clutch teeth on said driven member, clutch teeth on the ring gear engageable with the clutch teeth on the driven member in a third position of .aid ring gear, and free-wheeling means between said driving and driven members, said free-wheeling means being rendered inoperative by engagement of the clutch teeth on the ring gear with the clutch teeth on the driven member.

6. In combination, a driving member having a pinion, a driven member, an intermediate member, idlers carried by said intermediate member,

a ring gear embracing the idlers, means for holding the ring gear stationary in one position and to said intermediate member in another position, the means for holding said ring gear stationary comprising clutch teeth on the ring gear and a lock yoke embracing a substantial portion of the ring gearand having teeth engaging with the teeth on the ring gear at diametrically opposite sides of the ring gear in one position of said lock yoke and disengaged from the teeth on said ring gear in another position of said yoke and a pair of diametrically opposite rods slidably supporting said lock yoke.

7. In a device of the class described, a freewheeling roller assembly comprising a roller cage including a pair of ring members, pins extending between and secured at opposite ends to said ring members, and rollers rotatable on said pins, one of said ring members having a toothed periphery.

8. In a device of the class described, a freewheeling roller assembly comprising a roller cage including a pair of ring members, pins extending between and secured at opposite ends to said ring members, rollers rotatable on said pins, one of said ring members having a toothed periphery and the teeth on the periphery of said ring member having angular portions longitudinally thereof.

9. In combination, a driving member, a driven member, a free-wheeling device between said vmembers, clutch teeth on said driven member,

and a shiftable member having clutch teeth adapted to engage the clutch teeth on said driven member, said free-wheeling device comprising rollers and a roller cage having means projecting' into the path of movement of the clutch teeth on the shiftablemember.

10. In combination, a driving member, a driven member, a free-wheeling device between said members, clutch teeth on said driven member, and a shiftable member having clutch teeth adapted to engage the clutch teeth on said'driven member, said free-wheeling device comprising rollers and a roller ca'ge having means projecting into the path of movement of the clutch means on the shiftable member, the projecting means on said roller cage having teeth with angular side faces and the teeth on said shiftable member having angular side faces cooperating with the angular side faces of the teeth on said projectirg means for throwing the rollers out of engagement upon engagement of the clutch means on the shiftable member with the clutch means on said driven member.

ll. In combination, a driving member, a driving pinion thereon, a driven member, a cage about the driving pinion having idlers meshing with the pinion, an internal gear member meshing with said idlers and shiftable into different positions, a free-wheeling device between the cage and the driven member and operative in at least one position of said internal gear member, and means providing for direct clutching engagement between the internal gear member and the driven member in another position of said gear member for rendering said free-wheeling device inoperative.

12. In combination, a driving shaft, a driving pinion thereon, a driven shaft, a cage about the driving pinion having idlers meshing with the pinion, an internal gear meshing with said idlers, a free-wheeling device between the cage and the driven shaft, and means for'selectively clutching the internal gear to the cage with the internal gear free of the driven shaft and for clutching the internal gear to the cage and to the driven shaft simultaneously.

13. In combination, a driving shaft, a driving pinion thereon, a driven shaft, a cage about the driving pinion having idlers meshing with the pinion, an internal gear meshing with said idlers, a free-wheeling device between the cage and the driven shaft, means for selectively clutching the internal gear to the cage and the cage to the driven shaft, and a lock yoke shiftable to one position for locking the internal gear against rotation and into another position for freeing the internal gear and interrupting the drive.

14. In combination, a driving shaft, a driving pinion thereon, a driven shaft, a cage about the driving pinion having idlers meshing with the pinion, an internal gear meshing with said idlers, a free-wheeling device between the cage and the driven shaft, means for selectively clutching the internal gear to the cage and the cage to the driven shaft, a lock yoke shiftable to one position for locking the internal gear against rotation and into another position for freeing the internal gear and interrupting the drive, and clutch means on the driven shaft and clutch 4means on the internal gear shiftable into and driving pinion having idlers meshing with the pinion, an internal gear meshing with said idlers,

a free-wheeling device between the cage and the driven shaft, means for selectively clutching Ythe internal gear to the cage and the cage to the driven shaft, a lock yoke shiftable toone position for locking the internal gear against rotation and into another position for freeing the internal gear and interrupting the drive, clutch means on the driven shaft and clutch means on the internal gear shiftable into and out of engagement with the clutch means on the driven shaft for reverse drive, said free-wheeling device comprising rollers and a roller cage having a toothed flange projecting into the path of movement of the clutch means on the internal gear, and clutch means for connecting the cage to the driven shaft without free-wheeling.

16. In combination, a` driving shaft, a driving pinion thereon, a driven shaft, a cage. about the driving pinion having idlers meshing with the pinion, an internal gear meshing with the idlers, a free-wheeling device between the cage and the driven shaft, clutch teeth on the cage, clutch teeth on the driven shaft, and clutch teeth on the internal gear and having neutral and ratio forward drive positions between said first clutch teeth and movable in one direction into engagement with the clutch teeth on the cage and in the other direction into engagement with the clutch teeth on the driven shaft.

17. In a transmission for .motor vehicles, a drive shaft, a driven shaft, means for connecting said shafts vfor a forward ratio drive and for reverse drive and for locking the drive and driven shafts and the entire connecting means for Jdirect forward drive, said means including a ring gearhaving external teeth thereon, a lock yoke of semi-circular shape extending about a substantial portion of ,said ring gear and having teeth -for engagement with the external teeth of said ring gear at diametrically opposite positions for locking said ring gear against rotation, and ymeans receiving the opposite ends ofsaid yoke for lateral sliding movement thereon and non-rotatively supporting said yoke in position about said ring gear.

18. In combination, a driving member, a driven member, change spee'd gearing vbetween said members, said change speed gearing including a shiftable gear member, means on said gear member for cooperation with means on another of said members to effect a driving connection therebetween, free-wheeling means between said driving and driven members, and means on said free-wheeling means for engagement with the driving connection effecting means on the gear member in advance of the driving connection effecting position of said means to render the freewheeling means inoperative.

19. In combination, a driving member, a driven member, change speed gearing between said members including van internal gear ring sleeve, freewheeling means between said driving and driven members, and means for shifting said sleeve into a position relative to said driven member such as to effect direct driving relationship between said driving and driven members for rendering said free-wheeling means inoperative.

20. In a change 'speed and reversing transmission, a drive member, a driven member, means for driving said driven member from said drive member comprising an enclosing shiftable sleeve, an intermediate connecting member, said sleeve being shiftable into position to effect locking of saidlintermediate member relative to said drive member, free-wheeling means between said intermediate member and said driven member, manually operable means for clutching said driven member directly to said intermediate member to render said free-wheeling means inoperative, and means for shifting said sleeve into 

